The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-04
THE STREET RAILWAY.

Whether the residents and taxpayers of the
city own the city, or whether Tom johnson
and his railroad owns it, is the question of the
hour That Tom johnson and his railroad
owns the voting power of the present Council
goes without the saying. because the Council
does whatever he wishes, and refuses to do
whatever he is not inclined to- This comes
from the fact that the voting power of the
street-railroad company and its patronage
have been able to make or unmake council
men, Now there comes the possibility OF
change. Local candidates have thought Mr..
johnson owned his drivers and other en-
ployes, and he has practically done so, for
election purposes, for long time. Now, how
ever, the drivers have seen that they were less
esteemed and held in less regard by Mr..
johnson than the mules he owned; therefore
he took more care of his mules, and of their
health, comfort and happiness, and had more
regard for their lives than he
had for the drivers. The drivers
worked from twelve to sixteen hours
day continuously, and the mules were
alternated after four or eight hours work. So
the condition of the mule was better than
that of the driver. Some members of the
CITY Council, and some aldermen as we'll,
have thought that the Tom johnson power
was the great factor in city politics. or, at
least, such an influence as they must placate;
and therefore, they have been the tools of
the Tom johnson street railroad. Heaven
forbid that the Journal should say that any
of these honorable gentlemen should be
bought with money or patronage to influence
their votes; yet they have been influenced
The long-oppressed, overtaxed and incon-
venienced citizen begins to realize the power
of the streetrailroad company. That corpora
ton has long controlled the Council, and so
long been able to do as it pleased, that it
sought to pinch a little more out of the starv-
alton wages paid the drivers. The last
feather broke the camers back; so the last
imposition has driven the employees of the
railroad into open opposition to the demands
of the company. They have stated their case
openly and fairly, and say they will no
longer submit to the arrogance of the
slave-driving Johnsons, and in their
opposition they ask the support of the peo-
pie. They ought to have it, and the people
owe it to manhood that they be supported
The present ownership of the street railway
system bought the property at from q to 70
cents on the dollar of its COST a fair estimate
would be Is cents on the dollar of stock. The
Johnsons have grown into the ownership of
several railroads, all out of the profits from
the indianapolis investment Yet in the
other cities the Tom johnson companies furn-
ish large double-ended. upholstered cars,
heated in the winter months, and open, cross
seated, double-ended cars in hot weather, and
with conductors all the time; yet the people
of Indianapolis are treated to "dog-houses on
wheels" the year round. Every gentleman is
expected to act as conductor, and brakeman,
and flagman, and every lady and child, when
travelling alone or on a in which may be
only a few ladies and children, is liable to in
suit or injury. The city councilmen now in
Office who wish to be reelected and all other
candidates who desire place in the Council or
aldermanic boards or who aspire to city Offices
must make up their minds as to who they will
serve--the railroad company or the people.